Switch-throwing mechanism.



J'. RITTER SWITGH THROWUTG MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1909.

atkuwy J.. R. RITTER.

SWITCH THROWING MEGHANISM.

RRPLIOATION'HLRD JULY as, 1909. 1 l 947, Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

2 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

' V thereof. Fig.-3'is afraoxnentary top plan view of a switch adapted tobe actuated by Toa/llV whom fit may concern:

' Unrriin Isiiiriis iwiinni? oianioii.

' JQSEPH B. RITTER, OF.J'AQK SONVII |LE, FLORIDA.

' swrrcH-'rrmowmdmicmmsm y Specification of Letters Patent.A Patented 3,11. mamma'aiedjuiyaa 1909. seriino. 509,087.

' Be it known that I, Josemi R. Rirrnii, Aa citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county -of- Duval, State of Floridahav'e invented certa-in new and useful Improvements in Switch-Throwing li/Iechanism; and I do hereby decla-retire 4following to vbe a full, clear, and exact descriptio'n of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to railway switch mechanism and more particularly lto the class of mechanism for operating the same and adapted to he mounted upon railway cars.

The primary object of 'the invention is the proaiision of switch operating .mechanism in which a switch may be opened or closed in advance of the-car without the necessity 01" a switchattendant and also without'requir-v ing the niotorinan or other operator to leave the ca-r.

Another object of the invention is the prothis character in which avswitch may be at .all times under the control o a inotornian or other operator upon a railway car and that will enable the said. switch to be thrown to opened or closed Vposit-ion prior to the arrival of the car at the switch.

A further oh3ect of the invention -is the' provision of switch operating mechanism which i's simple in construction, one that is capable ofbeing readily and easily mounted upon a railway car, and that will be thoroughly reliable and efficient in opera# tion and `ineiqzensive in the inanufacture;

` Withvtliese and other objects in view, the

4invention consists in the construction,combi nation, and ,arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more vfully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, to enable those. skilled in the art to 4carry the invention vinto practice and as set forth in tlie claiiiis hereunto appended.

the switch operatingr mechanism on the car. Fig. et is a longitudinal sectional view t'tlirougz'h` a'portion of the ca and throu h f portion of the road bed showing the m' anisin in a position for operating the switch. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through' the car onthe line 5--5' of 'fFigQ-l.

Similar referencecharacters"indicate correspending parts throughout 'the several-views in the drawings. f In the drawings, the numeral 8, 'designates generally ya car body the saine supported by4 a wheeled truck frame 9, `of theusualor well known construction, the wheels '10, of which being adapted .toftrayel upon i-track ll, the latter intersected 'byfasiding or branch track l2, the saine being opened' and closedby a movafle switch point'1 3,whi ch .latter is also of the ordinary or Well Aknown type. Located withinthe Qbe'd of the main track 11, centrally` between vits rails is'a cast-ing forming a ,guideway 1 4, the sanie arranged vslightly in advance of the intersecting siding or branch track 12, and'tliis casting isprovidedv with a guide chanel' 'or t; e length .of the castiiig` andope'niiig Q .through oppositeends'theieof. vision of a switch operating mechanism of Disposed centrally y'vithin tlie' slot 15, in the casting. and connected -to ythe :base thereof, .bv means of .apivot 16, is a' .switch throwing ar' or arm 17, the latter tapering 1toward its pivotal extreinity"aii d"'havin'g a beveled opposite end 18, and to vthistmov'able lsloth?, the latter extending entirely ,through switchthrowingbar or arni 17, isjpi`votally connected a link rod 19, the latteralsoI pivotally` connected to the switch point ortongue v13, sothat upon lateral' -inove'mentof'the switchthiowingbar orarin 117 in one directioni'transversely of the vtrack it will open the siding orbranchtraekfto permit an approaching car -to t`iayel fromtlie mainline onto the siding orbranch track and'jupon movement of the switch thi-owing varm or bar in an opposite lateral directiontr'ans--- versely of the inaintrackjtmill operate the switch point. or tongue }1 3,. to close'fthe' siding or vbranch track to permit aii';approachingv car' to lcontinue 4along the maiali-ack.. past the switch. l

The mechanism for antoniatically'oper- Yating .the s witchiscarried upon thef car 8, and comprises an inverted U shaped bracket or yoke member 20,-. secured and depending centrally from the front en'd of fthe car.

upon a pivot 21,A is a -ro- `:kin, ,1 r -casting 22, the latter having rising therefrom a central shank yor stem'23, to which is connected by a swivel joint 2li, a laterally and downthe sameextending a conslderable distance rearwardly ofthe car beneath its floorin and having loose'connection asiat 26 wit 5 the .upper corner of' a'- segmental-shaped swinging late '27, the lowerportionA ofwhich is ormed witha 'balancing weight 28, and this plate is mounted for swinging 'movement upona 'pivot 29, projecting centrally from the front cross beam' of the wheel truck 9, of the car.

Near the rear eXtL'einityI of the ,operating A rod'or link 25, ,and secured thereto' is a depending rearwardly inclined leg or shoe 30 which is normally maintained ont of the .path of'the switch thrwing'bar or varm 17 and is adapted to be thrown into the path of the latterA upon the manipulation of' the operating link or 'rod 25,' by a .motorman or other operator on 'the car. A Near the forward extremity of the 4operating rod or link 25, integral with' the same andirising therefrom isa' hook nose'l to` foot - which .latter is detachably swiveled a treadle or lever 32, rising above the :platform or ooringof the car 8, and working through a suitable slotcontamed in the latter, and

` this footjtreadlel or lever isadapted to be manipulatedby the foot of-.a motorman to\ 'bring the vle :or'shoe Ain'to proper position formovin t e switch throwing arm or-bar 17, latera y with respect to the main track for openng'or closing the siding or branch tracks when the ca ris aplproaching ,the same. In lo ration and 'w en it'isfdesired to move t e switch throwing-bar or -arm 17, it

. 'is necessary for the motorman or' other opere ator to press upon-th'foot treadle or lever 32, in a .direction either to the right or'- left andin this manner the leg 'or shoe 30, will' `be-moved into a positionj'tfor engaging the switch throwingarm orbar 17 so that the same ma .be actuated fory automatically l shifting t e switchV tongue or point 13, lfor 4opecnking Vor closing' thefsidin'g' or branch tra I l It isfofcourse to be understood that the switch o' 4rating mechanism carriedfby the of the inventionl will be clearly lThe combination with'a switch throwc() ing mechanism arranged within atrack bed,

rof a swinging 4plate pivoted to the truck frame of a car and being adapted for arcuate' movement transversely with respect ,t the track bed, mechanism for moving said plate, the

and means movable into the path o switch throwing. mechanism and operated by the last named mechanism and being more! mally operated by the'plate. .'f

2. A switch'operatingdevice, comprising 7o a'yoke secured to 'and depending froinlthe .body of a car, a member mounted for rocking movement in-the yoke,'a pivotal plate mounted for arcuate movement upon'- the truck fra-me of a car, a rod looselylconnected to the plate andswiveled to the said member'.

and being held normall elevated vby the l plate,-a leg depending romsaid rod and'.

movable into the path of a switch throwing mechanism located in a track-bed, ancla foottreadle having connection with said rod vfor actuating` the same.

3. The comb'nation with switch throwing mechanism located in a' track bed, of a i rocking .member pivoted below the bodyl of 85 weightedsegment pivotedto the I a car, a truck frame of a car, connection between the segment and the member. to permitl arcuate 'swinging movement'offsaid seg ment, a shoe carried by said connection' 90,

and beingadapted to move into the path of the switch throwing `mechanism,v the said4 shoe being held normally elevated by said segment and means'ctuating the connection to move the segment for bringing theshoe into operative position.'

. 4. The comblnationwith a car'having a wheeled truck' frame, of a'yokesecured to and lde ending from the car in advance of yits truc c frame, a weighted segment pivoted centrally to the truckframe andl'adapted for arcuate movement transversely of a truck bed; a rocking member pivotcd inthe yoke, a od having'one end s wiveledto saidmem vb'er and its opposite end loosely connected 105 to the segment, a shoe 'dependingrom said rod and normally elevated by said segment, i the.said shoe" being adapted to actuatc a switch throwing mechanism, 'and manually operable means detachably connected to the T10 rodvfor actuating` the same. v

lr.' testimony whereof, I'aiix my signature, in presence of'tvvo'witnesses- JOSEPH RI RITTER.

Witnesses: A

GEORGE'W. DEMING,y

' S. W. Kona-UM. 

